The Weepies

Though he was likely excited to play his first gig out of town, there's no way singer/songwriter Steve Tannen had an inkling that a 2001 gig in Boston would profoundly change his life. Then living in New York, Tannen was getting his career as a solo artist off the ground when he drove up to take the stage with Deb Talan, another singer/songwriter enjoying growing audiences in Cambridge, Mass. After the gig, they retired to Talan's apartment, where they shared a bottle of wine, played songs and sparked the beginning of a band and a romance. Their band, the Weepies, was first minted on 2003 LP Happiness, which collected songs that they had stored up as solo artists. Their regional success on the singer/songwriter circuit swelled, and after selling out a gig at New York City's Living Room in 2005, they were signed to Nettwerk Music Group, which would issue their sophomore LP, Say I Am You, later that year. The LP enjoyed great success on digital music charts and a number of commercial placements. In 2007 they moved to California, had a baby and co-wrote a record with Mandy Moore, Wild Hope. The Weepies tacked their third LP at home for a 2008 release.